Finding Your Tribe

For some people finding their tribe is as easy as sending a tweet. For others it is a real struggle. If you are anything like me, you fall in the second group. I have yet to find my tribe, but these are the places I’ll be searching for them.

What is a tribe and why do I need them?

Your tribe is a group of people that share the same values and outlook on life. They are the people that connect you to great job opportunities, point you in the direction of fun past times and just support the heck out of you. Your tribe is there for you to bounce ideas off of, help you grow and help you steer through the murky waters of life.

Many people find that kind of support network amongst their friends and family, but many don’t. It all just depends on what you are looking for from your tribe.

Personally, I’m looking for a tribe to support me in my ever changing career goals. I find that I often stare into a friend or family member’s glazed over eyes when I try express my career wants and needs. Sometimes, they just don’t get it. It is not for them, I get it. I can’t really relate to my brother’s engineering career or my sister’s super corporate environment, for example. So it should stand to reason that they don’t fully grasp my vision of having a creative career. Its not that they don’t care, what I do is not in-line with what they do. It is a simple as that. And that is what I want, a group of like minded people who are able to relate to my career needs.

These are a few of the places I’ll be hunting for my tribe members:

Friends – I know I just said that my friends and I don’t have similar career views, but that is the majority. If you think about it, you already have people you have things in common with, your friends. There has to be at least one person you know that has a similar career, or a similar goal. The only way to find out is to dig. Talk about what you are hoping to gain from your tribe. If your friends can’t help, they should know someone who can.

Do what you love – Join classes or groups of things that interest you. The more people you meet that have similar interests and ideas, the higher your chances are of finding a tribe member. If all fails, at least you spent your Saturdays on the golf course enjoying the sunshine.

Parties – Make a point to get to know at least one new person at social gatherings. If there are no brand new faces, find the person you know the least about and go have a chat. They might be a member of your tribe, they might not. But if you don’t go strike up a conversation, they certainly won’t be in your tribe.

Social Media – Social media is a useful for finding tribe members. Follow people you admire, search for hashtags of interest or join Facebook Groups that interest you. Not all tribes need to be physical. A virtual tribe can have just as many benefits.

Attend events you might enjoy – Seeing a trend here? Do more of what you love seems to be a key element of finding a place to belong to. Attend an gallery opening, bands in the park etc.

Help others achieve their goals. Share information and resources. You can’t expect to gain information and resources from others and be greedy with what you have collected. Sharing information has several benefits. It keeps you fresh in the minds of others, this might lead to a “Hey, won’t John be interested in this?” moment for them. The more you think of others the more they will think of you. It also clues people in to what your interests are and is a great indicator of your personality.

And so the hunt for my tribe is on! Feel free to hunt with me, and let me know how it is going. You never know, we might be hunting for the same thing.